Devastation
by achieving elysium
Summary: For firebenderannabeth. KP-style AU, no knowledge of Kim Possible required. High schooler Annabeth Chase wants three things: to win her upcoming cheer competition, to go to the school dance with one Luke Castellan, and to keep the world safe. But throw in her best friend and fashion disaster Percy Jackson and their long-time enemy, Kronos' Army, and it's about to get a lot harder.


**Devastation**  
for the PJO Secret Santa on Tumblr;  
for Caleigh - _firebenderannabeth_

 _Dear Caleigh : After a super long wait, here it is! I hope you like it - er, well, the beginning of it, at least._

* * *

 **part i**

"You still have this?" Percy asked. Annabeth raised an eyebrow and flipped to the next page of _Aphrodite's_ catalogue, which had just come in the mail this afternoon. She let out a soft breath of air when she spotted the dress. It was absolutely gorgeous – a pale blue-purple color, the dress long and flowy. Delicate lace flowers lined the back and bodice before petering off, the same color as the dress, semi-transparent and magical. She _had_ to–

"Annabeth," her best friend prompted, and she blinked, dog-earing the page and pressing it down with a perfectly-manicured nail. "Princess."

"Hmm?" she hummed, her thoughts faraway, focused on the dress. Percy spun to face her, something dangling from her fingers. She sat up quickly, dress forgotten. "Is that–"

"Your Camp Half-Blood necklace?"

She swallowed. "Yeah," she agreed. He ran a hand through his hair, and she caught her breath as his already-spiked hair was messed up even more. The faded shirt he was wearing rose up, and she caught a glance of dark skin underneath.

"What?" he asked, blinking at her, his expression curious. She shook her head.

"Nothing," she told him, though she could feel her skin heat up. "Your hair, you messed it up again." He looked at the fingers he'd just used to comb through his hair with and shrugged.

"So?"

She frowned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and shaking her head. "Whatever, Percy," she said. "And aren't we supposed to be working on a project?"

He snorted. "Sometimes, I actually _want_ to go on missions to save the world instead of working on stupid projects." Disdain dripped off of his words; Annabeth rolled her eyes, groaning a little.

"Well, you've got–" She was interrupted by a too-familiar beeping. She fished her communicator out of the abandoned bookbag she'd tossed next to her chair. "Looks like you get your wish, Seaweed Brain."

"Yes!" Percy cried in triumph, pumping the air. She accepted the call and held it so that both she and her best friend could see the screen; Percy leaned against the wall nearby and stuck his hands into his pockets.

"Talk to me, Grover," she said the moment she answered the call. "So what's the sitch?"

Grover rubbed a hand over his face. He looked tired but managed to give the two of them a worn smile.

"Do you want the bad news?" he asked, and Annabeth's heart sunk a little. "Or do you want the _bad_ news?"

Before Annabeth could say anything, Percy spoke up. "The worse one."

"Wh- hey!" she cried, turning to look at him and flushing when she did. He gave her a crooked grin. She managed to stammer out the next few words. "What- why did you ask for the worse news?"

Percy played with one of his earrings absentmindedly, but his gaze was intense. "Because you would've asked for the better news," he answered simply. "Better to get it out of the way first and find the other problem much easier."

She frowned. He had a point – though she'd never say that to his face. "Whatever," she huffed, glancing back at Grover, who looked thoroughly amused. "The worse news, then."

Percy smirked.

"You're not going to like this," Grover said, blowing out a long breath and typing something into one of his computers. "but, uh… well, I'll be blunt. It's Kronos."

" _What?_ " both Annabeth and Percy demanded at the same time.

"Are you _kidding me_?" Percy groaned as Annabeth muttered curses, swearing like a sailor and hoping her parents weren't anywhere near the room – not that they would be, anyway.

She ran her fingers through her hair, combing out the tangled mess. "Alright," she conceded. "What's going on?"

"I'm sending the info to you now," Grover began, his fingers flying as he typed. "but Kronos' Army… Annabeth, it's spreading."

Percy's lips turned downward. "But we got rid of Kronos," he said softly, though his eyes glimmered with anger. Annabeth pressed her lips together in a thin line and said nothing, though she did reach out for Percy, gently touching his shoulder. He relaxed slightly, though any normal person wouldn't have been able to tell.

"Someone's taking charge," Grover said. "A soldier in Kronos' Army has been rounding up recruits again and calling out old soldiers. They've started acting out again, you two. For the past month or so, they've been doing little, ordinary acts any criminal would do. But today… well, see for yourself."

The communicator beeped again, and Annabeth let it project a newsfeed.

" _-Prison has been broken into. Investigators suspect the break-in happened approximately two hours ago, occurring one hour before the security guards' shifts were slotted to end. When the others arrived to take their shift, they found the guards knocked out and renowned prisoners Ethan Nakamura and Alabaster Torrington gone. In the empty cells was shown the symbol of Kronos. This is troubling–"_

Annabeth stopped it, her heart pounding in her throat. Percy looked like he was at a loss for words, but in his face was an underlying guilt that she wanted to shake out of him. Ethan Nakamura and Alabaster Torrington had been two soldiers in Kronos' Army – she remembered them well. And Percy… Percy had been the one to let them go the first time.

The problem was that Ethan and Alabaster, while rather high-ranking, weren't even the leaders. Most of the leaders in Kronos' Army had remained anonymous and mysterious to even tech-savvy Grover; they hid their names behind aliases – Prometheus, Atlas, Hyperion, and so forth, the Titans of the old Greek myths.

She gritted her teeth. If there was anything Annabeth hated more than a fashion disaster – or Goode's rival cheerleading team – it would have to be Kronos. And considering how much she despised the first two, that was saying something.

Seeing that she was in no mood to carry the conversation, Percy spoke for her. "And the other news?" he asked Grover carefully.

"Oh, right," Grover said, snapping his fingers in thought. "Sorry, man, I almost forgot about that. There have also been some spottings of, um…" He looked nervous.

"Spit it out," Percy said, looking bored.

"Code Pegasus," Grover blurted, and Annabeth's brows drew together.

"And that's bad because…?" she began, waiting for Grover to elaborate. Percy looked worried. Code Pegasus wasn't a bad thing, really – in fact, the project itself was an overall good thing.

Grover scratched his chin. "You're not going to like this, Percy," he warned. "But one of the pegasi has been stolen. They only managed to take one before they fled from security, but…"

All the color drained from Percy's face. "No," he whispered, looking horrified.

Grover paused, then said: "I'm sorry, Perce."

Percy put a hand over his face and drew in a long, shuddering breath. Annabeth put a hand on his arm, and he lowered his own hand, sighing. He pursed his lips.

"Do you know what they want?" he asked, and Grover shook his head mutely. Percy made a frustrated noise. "Is it connected to– to Kronos?"

Grover seemed to be relieved to be doing something, at least. "I believe so," he told them, looking serious. "I can't say for sure what Kronos' Army is planning, but if it's anything like the past, it includes world domination and probably the destruction of a lot of cities. They also stole something else from the Code Pegasus project, but I'm not exactly sure what."

Percy groaned.

"Time to go check out that prison, then?" he asked, and Annabeth sighed, getting up and stretching as Grover blinked out on-screen.

"After this, we're getting new mission clothes," she muttered, dragging herself towards her closet. As useful as cargo pants were, they didn't go with _anything._ Annabeth tapped her lips and wondered if she could get away with wearing a skirt.

"Thanks for the ride here," she said, stepping out gracefully from Alex Gardner's truck. He smiled kindly as Percy leapt the short distance to the ground, straightening his leather jacket and stretching languidly like a cat.

"It was no problem, Annabeth," he told her. "All I could do after you stopped my garden from becoming giant carnivorous plants. That would've been terrible."

"No probs," she said. Ah, Fertilizer X. She remembered Dr. Kingston well – the mad scientist with a weird love for plants, even weirder than Percy's sudden transition into being – well – punk near the end of middle school. It suited him, though, she mused, looking over her best friend, who was looking around, a wicked grin on his face.

"Good luck," Mr. Gardner called before shooting off. She waved at the rapidly-shrinking truck and moved next to Percy. They looked up at the prison together. Annabeth shivered.

The sign in front read _Asphodel Prisons._ She'd heard a lot about this place. It wasn't the worst prison – well, to be in, at least. But prisoners here spent their days in misery, not allowed to do much or to talk to very many people. She'd heard stories about how the prisoners inside were usually driven insane, how the silence and loneliness were punishment enough.

Percy must've seen her face pale, because he took her hand and bumped her shoulder gently. "Come on, Wise Girl," he said, tugging her forward gently, so different than how rough he looked, ripped pants and Sharpie-covered sneakers, earrings and a faded tee. Yes, it suited him, she decided.

Annabeth smiled at the nickname. He had an endless list he never failed to use.

"Right," she said, squaring her shoulders and dragging him along. "We have things to do."

"So this happened before the guards' shift, right?" she asked, tapping her lip. It was a habit of hers, while she was thinking.

The security guard looked both uncomfortable and relieved to be questioned. "Yes, ma'am," he said, looking flustered. "Er, Miss Chase. We believe it's a break-in, too, by an unknown subject. We're not sure who."

"Hmm."

Percy was inspecting the cells themselves. He paced around in the small area, looking at every corner. Right above them, sunlight streamed through a large hole in the ceiling.

"Hey, Annabeth," Percy called out of the blue, and she blinked in surprise. When Percy used her name, it was usually serious. "Come take a look at this."

The security guard trailed after her as she stepped into the cell. Percy was looking at Kronos' mark – a scythe usually painted gold, though this one was a deep, burnt red that sent shivers down Annabeth's spine.

But that hadn't been what had caught his attention. In his hand was a large manila envelope the top of it ripped even though the recipient could have simply undone the top. She frowned at it.

"What is that?"

"Found it under the mattress," he answered simply.

"But– but we searched everywhere," cried the security guard, who looked kind of furious and indignant that they hadn't found that.

Percy smirked. "Obviously not hard enough," he said in a flat tone. His voice softened slightly. "It was well-hidden. There's a slit in the mattress, see – he hid the envelope there."

"But…" said the security guard, baffled.

Percy gave him a wicked-looking smile, a glint in his eyes. It was Percy's look – the long, brooding face, tall stature, the way he carried himself, and how he dressed – that made him look like a troublemaker. And with that smile, he looked like he was ready to jump headfirst into a sea of trouble.

"Trick of the trade," he said. "Blunt knives can still do damage, you know. I'm not surprised you didn't find it – it's not something you normally tend to think about." _But it's something I do._ Percy's unspoken words hung in the air.

"Uh, right," stammered the guard. "Of course."

"There's a note in it," Percy said coolly, ignoring the security guard. "Several notes."

Annabeth's heart leapt in her throat as Percy pulled out a few sheets of paper. "You allow mail here, right?" she asked the guard. He nodded.

"Yes, yes, but everything is closely monitored. Every letter and item is inspected closely and tested by a number of our team, Miss Chase." Percy read through the letters before pulling a pen out of his pocket.

"Wrong pen, Percy," she reminded him softly, and he startled.

"Right," he said, digging through his pockets and finding another one. He then began to pour over the letters, writing things onto the paper and crossing words out. It was coded – it had to be. Annabeth wondered if Percy was able to figure it out; he certainly wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

"Percy," she began. "Are you sure you don't want me to scan a copy and send it to Grover?"

Percy looked up, and Annabeth instinctively took a step back as she met his eyes. They were darker now – angry, almost. She swallowed, and light bled back into those sea-green eyes, turning back to the color of a calm ocean. He looked apologetic for a moment.

"It's fine," he said shortly. "Check the other cell? You might find some more stuff there." He sounded cold and calculating – nothing like the best friend she knew so well. It hurt to turn away.

Annabeth couldn't stop thinking about Percy as she directed the cheer team the next day. She twisted in the air and only barely managed to land correctly as the team moved beautifully behind her. Annabeth pushed herself for focus as she slid back into formation. _Right, left, side-to-side._ They moved in unison before splitting into five groups and lifting the fliers up. The five fliers connected in the air, Annabeth straining slightly to reach the hand of the girl next to her.

Partially through the routine, Piper called for a stop. "Red," she yelled. "Everyone stop." Confused but obedient, everyone stopped, catching their breath and nodding at each other.

"Piper," Annabeth began, opening her mouth to ask her friend why exactly she'd taken the place of cheer captain and stopped practice. Piper shot her a glare and raised her voice.

"Ten-minute break," she called, and they scattered, leaving the two teens behind.

"What was _that_ for?" Annabeth exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips, fingers still curled around the pom-poms. She huffed. "This is _my_ team, Piper."

"Annabeth, you've been off all day now," her friend said gently. "There's something bugging you – I know it. But right now, it's time to drop whatever's eating at you and give one hundred percent."

Annabeth walked to the bleachers, setting her pom-poms down and letting out a desolate sigh. "I know," she said, though it was painful and very hard to admit. "You're right. I do need to focus."

She took a deep breath and pushed Percy firmly out of her mind. She had plenty of time _after_ practice to mull over her thoughts, though she didn't have much time left to practice. One hundred percent, she reminded herself. Something Annabeth lived by – a rule she'd started once she'd entered high school and the cheerleading team, something that had gotten her the cheer captain position.

"You good?" Piper asked, redoing her ponytail, which had loosened during their second run. She nodded and stood, clapping her hands.

"Okay, girls!" Annabeth called. "Let's start from the beginning!"

"That's more like it," Piper muttered, grabbing her set of pom-poms, and they grinned at each other. Percy was long forgotten by the end of practice.

Her phone buzzed as she packed up, tossing her gear and her uniform into her gym bag before slinging it over her shoulder. It buzzed again, and she glared at the ground.

"Give me a moment," she muttered, as if whoever was texting her could hear her say it. She yanked on her boots and swept her hair up into a bun. She liked having it in a ponytail, but Annabeth was sweaty and gross. She checked her outfit again, making sure nothing was wrinkled, before she finally dug through her bag for her phone.

Annabeth found it sandwiched between an extra pair of socks and her empty water bottle. It buzzed again, the screen lighting up, and she opened the message. It was a text from Percy.

 _You done with practice?_ **Percy Jackson, 5:23.**

 _I'm starving._ **Percy Jackson, 5:23.**

 _Hurry up, doll, these nachos aren't going to eat themselves._ **Percy Jackson, 5:24.**

 _…_ _which is a good thing since I'm eating them. They'll be gonne if you don't get here in a few, tho._ **Percy Jackson, 5:25.**

Her heart flipped. Annabeth absentmindedly walked out of the gym, hearing the doors shut behind her.

 _You spelled 'gone' wrong._ **You, 5:30.**

Her phone buzzed not a second later. _Doesn't matter. Gonne, gone, they'll be in my stomach by the time you get here, love._ **Percy Jackson, 5:30.**

She made a noise as she read the text. Dyslexia or not, Annabeth was certain Percy had just called her "love." She frowned. The nicknames weren't anything new, but "love" was.

With a start, she remembered the look on Percy's face yesterday, and her stomach twisted. Annabeth stopped outside of the front doors, taking a seat on the steps in front of the school. She wasn't sure she was ready to face him yet. He'd acted normally today, but still…

 _Hey, you._ **Unknown number, 5:35.** She almost dropped her phone in shock. She blushed, knowing who it was.

 _Hi, Luke._ **You, 5:36.**

Oh, gods. Annabeth put a hand on the railing. Luke was texting her – Luke Castellan! She'd had a crush on him since, well, forever. He'd been a part of her life as much as Percy had – for longer, actually. She'd known him for years, her mom and his dad step-siblings, though the two of them had drifted apart. Annabeth spent quite a bit of time admiring him from a distance.

In the rush of events that had happened yesterday, she'd forgotten. Luke had been held back a year due to his poor grades in math – or, that was what the gossip was. Though only a junior, she was in the same class as he was, something she was always proud of herself for.

And after years of barely talking, Luke had asked her to tutor him. Of all people, he'd asked her. It was enough to make her scream quietly as she thought about it.

 _Can we study today?_ **Luke, 5:37.**

Oh, gods.

 _I'm having trouble with the homework Mrs. Dodds assigned us._ **Luke, 5:37.**

Annabeth definitely _hadn't_ had any trouble with today's homework. She'd done it partially in class and during lunch before finishing it earlier while waiting for the cheer team to assemble.

She was about to tell him _yes_ before she remembered Percy. Oh, gods, she was supposed to meet Percy at Bueno Nacho, like they always did – but this was Luke. Luke, kind and handsome with eyes the same color as the sky. Luke, who she'd once been so close to.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, and Annabeth closed her eyes for a moment, imagining studying at Luke's house, escaping to the treehouse in his backyard from his mom, pressed together as they poured over a math question.

She decided to text Percy, hoping he wouldn't be _too_ mad.

 _Rain check? *puppy eyes*_ **You, 5:40.**

Almost immediately, Percy texted back. _Can't resist those. Why?_ **Percy Jackson, 5:40.**

 _Luke asked me over. To study, I mean._ **You, 5:40.**

 _Oh… that's great. Have fun, doll._ **Percy Jackson, 5:41.** Annabeth glowed inside, bouncing up and down in excitement. She leapt up and jogged towards her car, already going over what she was going to wear.

 _How's 6:15?_ **You, 5:43.** She pressed _send_ and watched her text appear in the conversation she had with Luke. Half an hour would be enough to shower and get ready. It was a good thing there was no one around to hear her squeal of excitement when Luke replied.

"Hey," Dad said as Annabeth flew through the front doors. "You're back. You seem excited."

He was standing in the kitchen with a chef's apron on, looking slightly awkward as he stirred something in a pot. It smelled delicious. Usually, Annabeth would help him with dinner – except for cheer practice days, where he was left alone to cook for the most part.

"Hi, Dad," she said cheerily, pressing a kiss on his cheek as she made her way through the kitchen to the laundry room on the other side, where she dumped her cheerleading uniform. "I am excited."

He smiled at her, leaning against the stove. "Enlighten me, baby girl," he said, grabbing the salt and pouring some into the pot. Spaghetti, it appeared – it was a shame she wasn't eating at home.

"Luke just asked me to go study at his house," she gushed in one breath, the thought making her knees turn to jelly. He narrowed his eyes.

"Like a date?"

She flushed. "Ye- I mean, no, not really – oh, _please_ let me go, Daddy!" She blinked up at him through her eyelashes and pouted, seeing the indecision on his face.

He frowned. "Alright," he said finally, his face softening when she leapt into his arms. "You can take care of yourself, Miss Teen Hero. But if he so much looks at you the wrong way, you can tell him about how good my botany is."

She shoved him, her face burning. " _Dad_ ," she whined. "No poisoning my crush!"

"Okay, okay," Dad said, holding his spoon up in surrender. "But you'll be back before nine." She crossed her arms and nodded before darting past him, flouncing up the stairs.

In no time, Annabeth was running out the door, waving a goodbye to Dad and snacking on a granola bar to keep up her energy. Fleetingly, she thought of Percy sitting alone in Bueno Nacho and felt a passing pang of regret.

Annabeth stopped outside of Luke's house and checked herself in the rearview mirror of her car, reapplying her lipstick. Her thoughts wandered back to Percy.

 _It's fine,_ Annabeth reminded herself. After all, it _was_ Luke Castellan.

"Hi, Annabeth," Luke said, opening the door and letting her step inside. "You look great."

"Thanks," she replied, breathless. "So, uh, math homework?"


End file.
